Manufacture of frames and tubes.



PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907. E. G. P. VERSOHAVE.

MANUFACTURE OF FRAMES AND TUBES, I

APPLICATION FILED 8EP'1'.29, 1904.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDOUARD CHARLES F RANQOIS VERSOHAVE, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

' -MANUFACTURE OF FRAMES AND TUBES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

Application filed September 29, 1904. Serial N 0. 226,579.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDOUARD CHARLES FRANooIs VERSCHAVE, a citizen of the Reublic of France, residing in Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the fication.

This invention has for its object the manufacture of fittings, frames, and tubes for cycles, motor-vehicle frames, and the like, which tubes are formed with an inner partition or core arranged along a diameter and counterpart c, Fig.

serving to strengthen the tube or fitting so as to impart great resistance to it in the direc-* tion of the strains which this fitting or tube will have to support. Each tube or part of the fittingis formed by the pressing'or drawing of two semicircular parts which are assembled at their edges, between which is pinched a metallic band, the height of which corresponds with the external diameter of the tube, the three parts of which the tube is thus composed being united by welding.

The drawings represent, by way of example, the manner in which the invention may be applied to the manufacture of a bicycleframe.

Figure 1 is a blank for forming the principal members of a bicycleframe. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and5 are sections of separate parts of a tube. Fig. 6 is a section of a complete tube. Fig. 7 is a blank for forming a fork. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are sections of separate parts, and Fig. 11 a section of another tube. Figs. 12 and 13 are sections of a third tube before and after assembling, respectively.

In order to form a bicycle or similar frame composed of members extending angularly to each other and for producing in one and the same operation all the large tubes of this frame,-there is out (see Fig. 1) in the sheet metal a blank presenting the form of an ordinary frame with the steering-post tube a, the seat-pillar tube 1), the top tube 0, and the bottom tube (1. As shown to a larger scale in section through M M, Fig. '2, each portionof the frame thus stamped out is plane, and each of these parts is pressed so as to form almost a complete semicircle, as shovm in Fig. 3, the length being, however, less than that of the complete semicircle by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the strip or core. Having stamped and formed in a similar manner a symmetrical 4, and a strip 6, Fig. 5,

Manufacture of. Frames and Tubes, of which the following is a specithe Width of which is equal to the external diameterof the semicircular part cor c, the two parts are brought together, nipping be tween their edges the extremities of the said band e, these three parts being then welded along the meeting lines or generatrixes. In this manner there is obtained, as shown in Fig. 6, a tube of absolutely circular crosssection, presenting along. a diameter and directed in a vertical plane a reinforcing partition or core which largely assists in strengthening the tube against fiexion. The front or steering fork is also formed from two checks of metal presenting the profile represented in Fig. 7. The u per part It is first pressed into semicircular'fbrm, and the two arms of the fork i i are pressed into a semi-ellipsoidal form, as shown, to a larger scale, the section on O O, Fig. 8. A similar part is formed semicircular at its upper part 71. and semiellipsoidal in the fork i, Fig. 9. A sheet 7, Fig. 10, presenting the profile shown in Fig.

duced to the external diameter of h at the upper part and to the small diameter of the ellipses 11 'L in the fork proper, is inter osed between the edges of the two cheeks re erred to. As before, the three parts i, 'i, and j are united by welding along their line of junction, Fig. 11.

In cases in which it is desired to obtain still greater strength, and this in two directions at right angles, vertically and horizonsheet metal is 7c k k, bent into the form of quadrants of circles, as shown in Fig. 12, their length being diminished by the thickness of the core, and between the edges of these four bent tube members are interer Z, Figs. 12 and 13. As in the foregoing case, these parts are assembled by welding by means of a blowpipe or electricity or in any other appropriate manner. This kind of framework of motor-vehicles; but it is also adapted for many other uses.

As will be readily understood, the tubes may equally well be formed of anydesired number of pressed tube members presenting the form of portions of a circle. Between the edges of these tube members posed the extremities of a core of appropriate form in one or more pieces.

Finally, in order to finish the tubes thus manufactured the edges of the plate seized 7, but of which the different Widths are re posed the edges of a cross-shaped iron memtube is intended more especially for the tally, the tube is formed from four pieces of are inter- IIO a final drawing or by turning in lathe. Having now particularly described and as a between the edges of the assembled tubular l sections, if any portion projects from the periphery of the tube, are removed by grindcertained the nature of my said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- The process of making a tubular frame with members extending angularly'to each other, which consists in forming sections of sheet metal having the general contour of the finished frame, stamping said sections in approximately semicircular form in crosssection, locating between said sections a reinforce with its faces between the edges of said sections and its edges forming with the outer faces of the semicircular sections a continuous smooth periphery, and welding the whole, whereby the edges form substantially an integral structure having the appearance of a frame formed of ordinary tubes. In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 20th day of September, 1904, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. EDOUARD CHARLES FRANQOIS VERSCHAVE.

Witnesses:

GABRIEL BELLIARD, JOHN BAKER. 

